The Structure of Design: An Engineer's Extraordinary Life in Architecture

A memoir by one of the greatest structural engineers in history, as told through his most innovative projects. Leslie Robertson is one of the preeminent structural engineers of the modern era. With hundreds of projects to his credit, his close collaborations with such greats as Minoru Yamasaki, Philip Johnson, Romaldo Giurgola, I. M. Pei, and Gunnar Birkerts has resulted in the production of some of the most structurally innovative and formally daring buildings of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Among Robertson's advances in engineering are the invention of mechanical damping units to reduce wind-induced swaying, the first use of prefabricated multiple-column and spandrel-wall panels to allow column-free interior space and resist hurricane-level winds, and the shaftwall system for fire-resistive walls now used almost universally in high-rise buildings. In this memoir, Robertson recounts a long and storied career that stretches back to the 1950s. A restless student with unremarkable performance, it was almost by accident that he first engaged with engineering, but in his earliest projects his eye toward innovation was apparent. Still in his early thirties, he was lead engineer on the landmark IBM buildings in Pittsburgh and Seattle, and immediately thereafter embarked on what would become his signature achievement-which met a tragic end witnessed across the globe-the World Trade Center towers. A personal and accessible recounting of his partnerships with architects to create classics of modern architecture-including Harrison & Abramovitz's US Steel headquarters, Philip Johnson's AT&T Building, and I.M. Pei's Bank of China building and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum-The Structure of Design provides a privileged look at how the almost invisible but crucial discipline of engineering influences design, as told by a genius and poet of structure.

About the Author :
Leslie E. Robertson is the founder of Leslie E. Robertson Associates. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering in 1952, and immediately began his engineering career as a structural designer with an established engineering firm. He has earned numerous awards and honors and serves on the boards of several cultural and professional organizations, including the New York City's Skyscraper Museum, the Architectural League of New York, and the McDowell Colony. The recipient of several honorary doctorate degrees in engineering, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in recognition of his expertise and contributions to the field of structural engineering. Janet Adams Strong is an architectural historian who collaborates with design practitioners to develop publications, exhibitions, and research efforts. She has authored, coauthored, and edited numerous books, including I. M. Pei- Complete Works (Rizzoli, 2008) and Straight Talk About China's Urbanization (Xinhua, 2012). She is principal of Strong + Partners (formerly Architect Rx), a full-service communications agency based in New York and Miami.

Review :
“The Structure of Design wonderfully documents how important Les Robertson has been to good architectural design - and what a beautiful life he has led as well.” - David Childs/SOM “This is an informative memoir by one of the world's leading structural engineers, explaining how some of his essential works were realized from a technical as well as architectural perspective. You needn't be an engineer to understand his accessible and humane accounts of what gets built, why, and how." - Carol Herselle Krinsky, Professor of Art History, New York University "The breadth and beauty of Leslie Robertson's work will continue to fascinate and inspire for ages." - Ken Burns, filmmaker “Whether for our tallest buildings or the intricacies of balance in sculpture, Leslie Robertson has come up with some of the most spectacular solutions to engineering problems in our age. His imaginative strength is in understanding the essence of engineering, of how structure is life-enhancing, and making the impossible possible.” - Beverly Pepper, sculptor “My partners and I have worked with Les Robertson for most of our careers. His structural concepts are fundamental to two of my most dramatic buildings, the Shanghai World Financial Center and the International Commerce Centre in Hong Kong. Les was the first person we would turn to when we were searching for a concept to structure our major tall buildings.” - William Pedersen, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates